


Where we are, where we could be

by Tessalia_Grey



Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29423727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tessalia_Grey/pseuds/Tessalia_Grey
Summary: A little something for Valentine's Day. All fluff, no smut.All our protagonists are friends here and nothing more - at least not yet ;-)
Relationships: Alrich Wren/Ursa Wren, Bo-Katan Kryze/Fenn Rau, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Where we are, where we could be

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote it, so naturally it has Mandalorians in it.
> 
> Hera and Kanan are probably one of my favorite Star Wars couples, because their relationship is just so normal. It's just so nice to have grown-ups acutally act like grown-ups.
> 
> I'm not a Rexsoka shipper, at least not during TCW. I like AUs where they stay together after Order 66 and slowly fall for the other, but I like their friendship in TCW and that's it for me. I have no problem with people shipping them, though.

Alrich was not a warrior. Sure, he had armor. He even wore it now and again when he deemed it necessary, or sensible. His Mando’a was fluent, and he understood Concordian perfectly well. He did his best to further his clan’s welfare. And he did follow the call to arms the last _Mand’alor_ had demanded of those loyal to House Kryze. And if he had children, he would raise them in the same way. He did follow the _Resol’nare_ as best as he could, after all.

No, Alrich was no warrior. And as that, he might have been able to live an undisturbed und comfortable life in Sundari under pacifist rule.

But Alrich was also a man who believed in choice. And Satine had left no choice for those who wanted to remain on Mandalore. So, he had left for Concordia with the rest of the unrepentant.

Concordia was a moon, and despite the destruction the mines had left, it was still beautiful. Woods, lakes, pastures; you name it. But until the end of the war, Concordia was only sparsely populated. Now, it had to host three times as many people. And while the government in Sundari provided funds, it was no easy feat to turn the moon into a home for so many.

It had started out as camps, really. Tents and mobile command units put together against the elements. Alrich still found it strange that it had been the matter of housing and feeding the people that had brought people to the same table who would have easily killed each other only months before.

The warriors of House Vizsla all looked to Pre Vizsla now. The warriors of House Kryze were putting their faith in Bo-Katan. And strangely, Pre Vizsla and Bo-Katan Kryze had managed to get things going. While Vizsla dealt with the politics of it all, Bo-Katan managed the logistics in the background.

Alrich was a painter at heart, but he had chosen a “day job” to pay the bills even before the war. After all, everything was art if you just dared to think big enough. And the largest canvas there was, were the city plans of Sundari. And hence, he had become a member of the city’s planning council. But that was in the past now, of course. But his experience and his connection to Bo-Katan had earned him a place in Vizsla’s inner circle, and now he was responsible for the creation of basically a whole new city that could house all the warriors in exile.

And it was this job that had landed him where he was right now. In one of the most boring budget meetings he had ever attended. Mandalore’s new prime minister, Almac, was droning on and on; and though Alrich had tried, he could not follow the man’s monologue any longer.

Instead, he was doodling on the data pad in front of him. It most likely looked like he was taking notes, but his mind was half a galaxy away. Well, that wasn’t true. His mind was fixed on the young woman sitting next to Vizsla. He had caught her name earlier. Ursa Wren. Alrich knew of her father; a fearsome warrior that had managed to defend Krownest until the last day of the war. Only with Tor Vizsla’s defeat had his defeat also come. The old Count had not survived the battle for Sundari. And that had made the young woman the new Countess. And did she ever look the part of it.

Alrich had to admit he was smitten. She had beautifully tanned skin, dark, doe-like eyes and long, dark hair. Well, the hair was pulled back, giving her a look of severity that suited her position quite well. But Alrich wondered what she would look like if she wore her hair loose.

And that was what he was drawing on his data pad, carefully hiding it from everyone else. Ursa Wren with her hair down, framing her beautiful face. And Alrich knew he wasn’t just smitten. Alrich knew that it was love at first sight.

###

Hera woke up rather suddenly. Had she dreamt badly? No, not that she remembered. She looked at the chrono and frowned. It was early, even by her standards. She considered lying back down, but by now she felt wide awake. Well, in that case, she just might as well get up.

She padded down the hall toward the galley. At this hour, Kanan would still be asleep, and Hera did not feel like getting dressed yet. And anyway, her sleeping clothes were modest enough.

The doors swished open, and Hera let out a surprised “Oh!”. Kanan was up, sitting at the Dejarik table, looking up at her with a shocked look on his face.

“Sorry,” he said. “Did I wake you?”

“No,” Hera answered quickly. He looked like hell. “Just couldn’t sleep any more, is all.”

Kanan nodded but didn’t say anything else. Hera was sure something was wrong, but she had also learned not to pry. If he wanted to talk, he would.

“Mind if I make some caf?” she asked instead. “I could use some.”

“Ehm, no, no, of course not.”

“You want some, too?”

“Sure.”

Hera began puttering around, getting mugs, and starting the caf maker. To her surprise, Kanan soon joined her. He got plates and started to roam around in the cooling unit.

“We’ll need to make a stop for fresh food soon,” he said. It sounded like he wanted to talk without talking about what was going one.

“Sure,” Hera agreed. “We could stop on Lothal. Might be a good place to get some paid work, too.”

“Sound good,” he answered. “Scoot over, I’ll make us breakfast.”

Heras eyebrows shot up. Kanan making breakfast? Did she miss something?

“What?” he asked. “I can cook.”

“And I’m ready to see the proof of that,” Hera answered.

Kanan grinned; that cheeky grin that Hera would slap off his face if he didn’t look so damn good wearing it. She cleared her throat, filled two mugs with caf, and took them both to the table to sit down.

She watched Kanan cook…whatever it was he was cooking…and had to admit that she could get used to it.

After a few minutes, Kanan came over with two fully loaded plates. Hera had to admit it smelled great.

“Left-overs omlet,” Kanan announced. “Tastes different every time but tastes good every time.”

Hera snorted. “If you say so.”

But it was good. Really good.

They ate in silence for a while. And then…

“Hera?”

“Mm?” she asked around a mouthful of food.

“Thank you.”

She swallowed. “For what?”

“The company,” he answered. “And for not asking.”

Hera looked at him. His beautiful teal green eyes looked down at her and there were so many emotions in them that Hera could not tell which ones they were.

“Anytime,” she told him.

He smiled and turned back to his food. But Hera kept looking at him for a moment longer. When they had started out, he had offered to be a crew member, and nothing else. And Hera had been fine with that. She hadn’t wanted anything else. But now?

They learned about the other in small bits and pieces. And the more Hera learned, the more she wanted to be more than colleagues. She wanted to be friends. Well, her hormones would find it great if they were even more than friends, but that was a thought for another time.

For now, Hera decided that she would let some of her walls down for him. And maybe, just maybe, he would one day let down some of his walls for her.

###

The hum of the engines almost sounded like that of a LAAT/i. Almost. But it was close enough for Ahsoka to have a small flash back to the war. To the exhaustion after a long mission that had always been palpable, to Anakin or Master Obi-Wan trying to smile none the less, and to the men around them.

Men of which only one was with her now. Of all the millions of clones, only Rex had made it this far. Sometimes, he and Ahsoka got lucky, and their missions overlapped like this time. Now, with the mission successfully concluded, they were on their way back, the small craft carrying about ten man and woman back to the next rebel outpost.

Ahsoka sat next to Rex in the passenger compartment. She was tired and exhausted. But then again, so was everyone else.

She leaned her head against Rex’s shoulder plate as she had done countless times during the war. She had fallen asleep like that many times, too.

Ahsoka closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She felt Rex chuckle, but he didn’t say anything. But then, to Ahsoka’s surprise, she felt him carefully put his cheek against her montral. And it felt nice. Really nice.

Sometimes Ahsoka wondered how things would have played out if they’d stayed together. But if anything from her Jedi training remained, it was the conviction that what-ifs never let to fruitful thoughts, and that it was the here and now that mattered.

And in the here and now, to old friends were together again. Certainly older, and maybe a little wiser. And it was all that mattered.

###

If there ever was an advantage to the lack of an eco-system on Mandalore, it was the fact that the planet had no clouds. That when you were out in the desert at night and looked up, you could always see the stars. And though Satine wasn’t made for a live spend outdoors, she did appreciate the sight.

Qui-Gon was scouting ahead, and that left her and Obi-Wan to tend to their meager belongings and stay out of sight. They hadn’t lit a fire as to not draw unwanted eyes and attention. But a desert is cold at night, and the temperatures were dropping rapidly.

But Obi-Wan had made preparations during the day, and now he handed Satine a steaming thermos with tea. He flopped down next to her with his own mug. Satine glanced over to him and saw that he was looking up at the night sky.

Satine smiled. When the Jedi were assigned to protect her, she had a hard time to connect with Obi-Wan. But now? He was handsome; but she had noticed that on day one. No. Now, he was very much dear to her. As a friend; and if things were different…

Satine sighed. It was futile to think about it. He was a Jedi and she was a Mandalorian, and there was only so far both of those circumstances allowed for them to go.

But they danced on that precarious line, and Satine was afraid and yet hoped that they might one day accidently cross it. But not tonight.

Tonight, she lay her head on his shoulder, tilting it up so she could look at the stars, too. And for now – and maybe forever – that had to be enough.

###

It had been a long day; and one of those days Bo-Katan remembered why she had never intended to rule Mandalore herself. Talk to this group here, read those reports there, make a balanced decision about this, talk to more people about that. It was more tiring than the siege itself had been.

And while things seemed to settle on Mandalore, the galaxy around them seemed to go to hell a little more every day. Bo wondered for how long she could refuse to obey the Emperor and get away with it. She doubted it would be long.

Bo let out a sigh, folded her arms on her desk and lay her head down on them. She closed her eyes; Palpatine and the Empire were a problem for tomorrow and not for tonight. There were other things she had to deal with tonight.

The next thing Bo knew was that someone was shaking her shoulder.

“My lady?”

Bo made a displeased noise.

“My lady?”

“Go away,” she mumbled.

“Bo-Katan.”

That jolted her awake. She looked up at the person who had woken her up, looking into the ice blue eyes of Fenn Rau.

“Sorry, my lady,” he said, and to his credit, he actually looked like he really was. “You fell asleep. You might want to retire to your rooms for that, aye?

Bo sat up straighter.

“I’ve still got work,” she said.

“Yeah,” Fenn agreed. “But that’ll still be there tomorrow. Come on, my lady, real rest will do you good.”

Bo sighed, but nodded. Fenn held out a hand to her and she took it without thinking. He pulled her to her feet.

Bo-Katan smiled up at him. She had known Fenn Rau during the civil war. He had been one of the Protectors assigned to her. It had been nice to have someone her own age around her. And Fenn Rau had been – and still was – good company.

They started walking towards her rooms. During the civil war, Bo-Katan had told Fenn to call her by her given name. Now, he always used _my lady_ again, and it bugged her slightly. Then again, they had been on opposite sites for more than ten years now, so maybe it wasn’t all that surprising. She didn’t call him Fenn anymore either. Maybe it was better this way for now.

They arrived at her door, and Bo pressed the button for the doors to open. She really was tired, and barely managed to stifle a yawn. Fenn chuckled.

“Get some rest,” he said.

Bo nodded. “I will,” she answered, sounding sleepy. “Night, Fenn.”

“Good night, B-…my lady.”

Bo looked up at him and smiled. Well, maybe it _wasn’t_ better this way for now.

“Bo-Katan,” she said. “You can still call me Bo-Katan. I never really liked to be called my lady.”

Fenn’s lips twitched, like he wanted to smile but tried really hard not to.

“As you wish, my l-…Bo-Katan.”

Bo shook her head, smiling, and now Fenn smiled, too. He had a nice smile, Bo had to admit. And damn those bright blue eyes of his. Eyes that seemed to look right past her defenses and right into her soul.

Bo cleared her throat. Those weren’t thoughts she could afford right now. So she smiled again, bid him good night a second time, and vanished inside her rooms.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Happy Valentine's!


End file.
